A former Florida middle school teacher has been arrested after authorities said she hit a student multiple times with a broken broom handle.
Cyntyche Darling Lundy, 49, of Port St. Lucie, was arrested Friday on a child abuse charge, St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office officials said.
The alleged incident happened April 19 at Forest Grove Middle School, where Lundy worked as a teacher.
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According to an arrest report, Lundy was using the broom when it broke and the student picked up a broken piece and ran with it.
Lundy grabbed the broken piece from the student, which cut her hand and caused it to bleed, the report said.
At one point, Lundy threw the broken piece at the student, missing him but breaking a computer screen, the report said.
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The report said Lundy "became angered by his behavior" and chased the student in the classroom, eventually pinning him between two desks.
Lundy then hit the student with the broken broom handle three times, in the leg, arm and hand, the report said.
A low-quality Snapchat video appeared to show Lundy hitting the student with the stick at least twice, the report said.
In a statement to the school, Lundy called the incident a "playful interaction," the report said.
Lundy was arrested by Palm Beach County deputies, and has been fired by the school district. Attorney information wasn't available.
“The safety of our students on campus remains a top priority," St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara said in a statement. “We thank the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office for assisting in this arrest and appreciate our continued partnership with the St. Lucie Public Schools to keep our students safe.”
